Garmin slow to find satelites.

[kingalton]

HI Guys

 

Not sure if this has been posted before..

 

I have battled with slow satellite pickup when I first start my devices up.

 

You can set the devices to search the SA grid first, improves the pickup.

 

Garmin 500 settings below, not sure of the others, but should be similar.

 

> Go to "Settings"

> Go to "System"

> Go to "System Setup"

> Go to "Select a Position format", scroll down with the arrows till you find "S.African Grid"

> Hit enter till you are done and back to the menu.

 

Makes a big difference when starting up to find the satellites..

 

Will try on my 910XT this evening which takes forever find satellite's.

 

Cheers

 

Alton

[Pusher]

Thanks For the heads up. Will check the settings on mine.

[Shebeen]

I'm not familiar with this device, but do know how the GPS system works - this is from memory so could be slightly wrong in places.

 

There are about 36 satellites, at any one time 24 of them are being utilised for GPS. they all have an orbit that is tracked and an atomic clock onboard to keep time. GPS is actually all about time.

 

The path and positioning of the satellites and which channel they're on is recorded in what is called the 'almanac'.This is good for 7 days AFAIK. The almanac can be downloaded via the web or from the satellites when you have a good fix. (hence me not knowing how the Edge 500 works, it could update the latest almanac each time you sync with your pc)

There are two types of starts - a cold start and a hot start.

 

cold start - there is no almanac on the device or it is out of date. in this case the GPS has to hunt through the channels to try and find a satellite.

hot start - there is a useful almanac on the device, and the device knows which channels to use to find satellites that will be present.

 

You can thus sometimes take FOREVER to get a signal using your phone, as the GPS hardware is often much lower power than on a dedicated device - if you have network coverage, downloading an almanac could speed it up.

[Long Wheel Base]

I'm not familiar with this device, but do know how the GPS system works - this is from memory so could be slightly wrong in places.

 

There are about 36 satellites, at any one time 24 of them are being utilised for GPS. they all have an orbit that is tracked and an atomic clock onboard to keep time. GPS is actually all about time.

 

The path and positioning of the satellites and which channel they're on is recorded in what is called the 'almanac'.This is good for 7 days AFAIK. The almanac can be downloaded via the web or from the satellites when you have a good fix. (hence me not knowing how the Edge 500 works, it could update the latest almanac each time you sync with your pc)

There are two types of starts - a cold start and a hot start.

 

cold start - there is no almanac on the device or it is out of date. in this case the GPS has to hunt through the channels to try and find a satellite.

hot start - there is a useful almanac on the device, and the device knows which channels to use to find satellites that will be present.

 

You can thus sometimes take FOREVER to get a signal using your phone, as the GPS hardware is often much lower power than on a dedicated device - if you have network coverage, downloading an almanac could speed it up.

Iv actually noticed quite a few times that when I do a race far from home when I switch my edge 500 on it takes a while to locate satellites. And then my next ride from home same story. But otherwise if my finish and start location are close it's quick. So your hot and cold start makes sense.

[Shebeen]

another thing. GPS is of course owned by the US government, they offer it free to anyone who wants to use it - but then you need to realise they now control you - this came in handy during the Iraqi war where they put an offset onto the signals without telling the enemy, thus sending lots of Saddam's guys round in circles - (or something to that effect).

They have the really cool web address www.gps.gov

 

To prevent US domination for navigation, Russia got it's own system going - GLONASS, and the Chinese now have BEIDOU mostly operational - your phone/GPS might use a combination of these - I actually don't know how they decide or combine it.

 

The indians are also working on one and the european space agency has Galileo that is also semi off the ground.

[SwissVan]

Iv actually noticed quite a few times that when I do a race far from home when I switch my edge 500 on it takes a while to locate satellites. And then my next ride from home same story. But otherwise if my finish and start location are close it's quick. So your hot and cold start makes sense.

Funny enough, I've noticed with my gps device from another brand.... that after syncing on my PC, the next time I use it, it takes longer to find the damn satellites...being the impatient type it drives me mad

[Woofie]

Any ideas why my 810 picks up signal almost immediately where my 800 used to take forever?

Is it maybe getting location information from my phone? As it is always paired with my phone.

Ive never read anything of the sort but it would make sense if it does.

[Lexx]

Any Idea when the Firmware for the Live Segment for Strava will be released for the Garmins?

[Bat]

I've had the same problems. Wife's edge 500, my 810 and more specifically my 910. Read somewhere on Garmin web site you need to update your devices. Did this and seems to be much better. This was my experience.

[scotty]

Only time mine takes a bit longer to find satellites is when my previous ride has been on the indoor trainer. Other than that I switch it on as I exit my front door and by the time I've reached my gate its connected. 

[Broker]

A bit of a highjack but does anyone use the live tracking feature on the 810. If you do how does it impact on the battery life of your telephone that is the real communicator to the tracker.

[Lexx]

I use the live tracking on my 510 everyday, and it doesn't use that much battery power.

[Woofie]

A bit of a highjack but does anyone use the live tracking feature on the 810. If you do how does it impact on the battery life of your telephone that is the real communicator to the tracker.

 

I track every activity live on my 810. Battery life is great.

[Zatopek]

another thing. GPS is of course owned by the US government, they offer it free to anyone who wants to use it - but then you need to realise they now control you - this came in handy during the Iraqi war where they put an offset onto the signals without telling the enemy, thus sending lots of Saddam's guys round in circles - (or something to that effect).

They have the really cool web address www.gps.gov

 

To prevent US domination for navigation, Russia got it's own system going - GLONASS, and the Chinese now have BEIDOU mostly operational - your phone/GPS might use a combination of these - I actually don't know how they decide or combine it.

 

The indians are also working on one and the european space agency has Galileo that is also semi off the ground.

 

I also know to little to go in detail - but it is driven by hardware/chipsets in your device. The more expensive ones can use the 24 GLONASS satellites as well - so it is more likely you will have satellites above you / better positioned to get a quicker signal 'lock'.

 

The top end survey hardware can be incredible quick to get a lock, but are crazy expensive.

 

Some Garmins can see GLONASS, the list:

https://support.garmin.com/support/searchSupport/case.faces?caseId=%7Ba3bcf150-1fa1-11e1-73d0-000000000000%7D

[Zatopek]

Also note that the satellites are not in the same position every morning at the same time. When you walk out of the house it might be a 'bad' morning and slower. On such a day exiting the house trough the back door might actually make it quicker to find the satellites 

[reteid]

^{dc rainmaker had an article tip on this.the long and the short of it is you can put your device near a window before going out for your ride run and it should have locked on when leaving the house(sort of put in near the window while getting your stuff together).my 910 xt sometimes takes a bit longer but then again i live in a very treed up area.i sometimes need to walk a bit down the road for the gps to pick up.}